North Chattanooga’s SpaGo brings spa to you

Some may say an hour spent watching “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” is an hour wasted, but for Candace Hernandez and Carrie Sutton, the show spawned an idea for a successful business, SpaGo.

In an episode of the show, one character has the other women over to her home for a spa day. Sutton and Hernandez were working at a local hair salon at the time the show aired, and they thought a business offering mobile spa parties would be a perfect fit for Chattanooga.

Their goal is to take the spa party experience and make it attainable and affordable for everyone.

“Women talk about doing spa days with their friends, but it’s not a reality for most people,” said Sutton.

She and Hernandez did spa parties exclusively at people’s homes for about a year before opening their spa in North Chattanooga in January.

“It grew so quickly, we were able to invest in an actual place and give people the option,” said Sutton.

SpaGo offers a full range of services either at the spa or the customer’s home. Services are comprised of facials, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, waxing from head to toe, massage, body wraps, nail services and makeup application. Any services offered at the spa can be performed in someone’s home in Georgia or Alabama, but in Tennessee, facials, microdermabrasion and waxing can only be done in the spa, said the owners.

Many reasons exist to have a spa party, from birthdays to baby showers. SpaGo also gets a large volume of requests for on-site prewedding parties, Hernandez said.

For spa parties at SpaGo, the group has the entire facility to themselves.

“The spa parties are what really sets us apart,” said Sutton. “It’s fun to have the whole building shut down for you. People just love the whole party atmosphere.”

Patrons can choose from a variety of service providers to attend their spa party, such as nail artists or massage therapists. There is no minimum charge per guest, but each service provider must have at least one and a half hours worth of work, Hernandez and Sutton said.

“All the services are discounted, which makes it affordable,” said Sutton. “You can get a facial, massage and pedicure for less than $100.”

At some parties, people just want their nails done, she added.

“You just pick what you want,” she said. “There’s no surprises.”

Hosts have the option to pay for everything, but most do not, Hernandez said. Individuals typically pay for their own services, and sometimes chip in for the guest of honor’s services at a birthday party or baby shower.

The host of the party gets one service free, plus the added bonus of getting the discounted rates for services received at the party for the rest of the year.

“Most people have never had a facial,” said Hernandez. “At a spa party they can try stuff at a discounted rate, and if they love it, they can be a longtime customer for us.”

She and Sutton encourage people to bring drinks and food to further enhance the party atmosphere.

“People have come in matching PJ sets and robes,” Sutton said.

The duo said the best size group for a party is about five people, but they have had groups as big as 22. The average party lasts between three to six hours.

Sutton said they would love to make SpaGo a franchise.

“People in other states have heard about it and said people would eat it up there,” said Hernandez.